Dispensing device



Sept. 21, 1943. A 1 LAUTMANN 2,329,917

DISPENS ING DEVICE 4 Filed sept. e, 1941 2 sneetsusheet 1 ja? .j .5 V7

Sept. 21, 1943, A. J. LAUTMANN 2,329,917

' DIsPENsING DEVICE Filed sep't. 8, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Sept. 21, 1943 UNITED'STAT-Es I DISPENSING DEVICE f Alfred J; vLautmann, Detroit, Mich., aSignor-to. Iodent Chemical Company, Detroit, Mich.' corporation of Michigan u n y Application September 8, 1941, v",erialNo.y lil 2r This invention relates to a dispensing device for dispensingven'dable viscous substances such, for example, as toothpastef shaving cream, face creams, depilatory creams, and like or analogous materials, creams Yand pastes.

yAn object of the invention is to effect and real-Y ize va novel dispensing device for dispensing materials of the character indicated and in the use of which dispensing device the dispensingoperation may be eiected by the use of only one hand, that is, the newV dispensing device may be heldin and operatednentirely by one hand, thus leaving thegother hand free to use or dispose of the ma: teria-l `dispensed from the neu/,dispensing device as', for example, to hold a toothbrush or a shavingy brush for `,the reception of paste or creamy dispensed from the new, dispensingdevice, or to ap- `ply facefor cold cream or thelike to the face;.or

paste, cream or the like from the newdispensing device, as desired`` N f. Y,

Another object of the present/invention is to construct and arrange the new dispensing ldevice l in such a manner ,that` it is relatively simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture and so that it may readily bemade of as other suitable materials.

An additional object of thevinventionisto embody therein a novel pneumatically operated pis'-; ton ywhich is so constructed and arranged that `it may readily be operated to expel or dispense paste, cream or the like from the new,y dispensing device while, at the same time, preventing the paste, cream or the likefrom escaping pastrthe piston during thedispensing operation. l Y

A further object of the invention is to ,effect and realize a novel dispensing device for creams, pastes and the like which embodies,incombina tion, a generally tubular-shaped container or.

storage receptacle for paste, cream or the like,fa

plas-tic as well 4 pneumatically operated piston for dispensing the f having been broken a l a dispensing outlet, n Whic scription and claimsandi willzbeunderstoodlpy reference to the accompanying ,drawings writelny Y by Way -of illustrativa, show 4preferred fembod-i-i ments and the principles thereof and what 110W consider; tcbe the: bestimcdesfin which' :11; have contemplated applying those .princ1es- UOther tional view vof the pretendedform Qci?"dispensing` device which is illustra Fig. Bris an enlarged .transv en Hasegawa/rig; Lyin preferred form 'of the'no'vel yairliu pi device is embodied lin the" new*4 disp i device;v f

,y rig. 6 is annemargeapjenaf ongi'tudinaifsectional vievv ofjthe'linoiiedjfrfoiiin ofthe' new' dis- 'pensing' device' 'which is"siwn apart lrig '8 'is aftrans y 8'-ainFig.5.- y 1 1 y A preferred form efinefnewdispe lvneRiza/'iris is illustra-ted in Figs.y l'to 4, inclusive, ofthe drawings 'and'V comprises ay 'generally' tubular-shaped and Ypreferably lcyliiidiical storagerfreceptacle o'r container 1i), Whiclmay'beiriad'efoi Yanyfsui't'able material which isnonabsrbe tjtow and resistantto the actin ci .tlipa'stes crea u the iiketo be' store'frtni :for this purposeiben'gf ions resinous p1ast`1c`mate The container ,body Iii` threaded neck or end portion Zilli, Which-provides normally closed by means ,ofA anirternally threaded detachablefclof sure c'ap, i2 which ide-screwed thereon pr, Y'ii desiree, am" bfi-'remore @the forms; of suitable closlr'es may Jbe employed inpl egcf'the closure Cap 2 fr f A pneumatically. operated piston I,3isfslidajbly able rubber, which is non-absorbent towater and other fluids and which is resistant to the action of the various materials, referred to above, and which may be stored in the container body or storage receptacle device.- K

It will be noted, in this'connection, and as shown in Fig. 2, that the body 35 of the pistonV I3 is somewhat smaller in diameter than the inside diameter of the container body-or storage recep-Y tacle ID so that the body 35 of the piston I3 willslide readily in the generally tubular-shaped con` tainer body or storage receptacle I8 It will also be noted, by reference to Fig. 2, that the piston 'I3 is recessed on its rear side, providing a well I8, and that the outer wall $6' of the piston I3, which surrounds the well I8, is inclined or tapered, as at I4, from its axially inner or front end toward its axially outer or rear end, thereby providing a -flexible trailing edge I5 at the axially outer orrea'r end of the piston I3 which frictionally engages or`wipes against the inner surface of the container-body or storage receptacle I0, for reasons which will be made apparent hereinafter.

The rear end of the generally tubular-shaped container or storage receptacle I0 is, as shown in Fig. `2, closed by a cap or closure member- Ii which may be adhesively or otherwise permanently secured to the container or storage receptacle I0, in any suitable manner. s,

Formed in the closure member or cap I6, on the inner surface thereof (Figs. 2 and 4),' is an air passage I'I which extends diametrically relative to and across the closure member or cap IG and relative to the tubular container body or storage receptacle I0, and, as bestshown in Fig. 4, the passage I I communicates with the linteriorof the container body or storage receptacle Il) and with the wellV I8 of the piston I3.

Formed upon the top wall of the generally'tubular container bodyor storage receptacle I0, as seen in Figs. 1, A2 and 3, and integrally therewith, is a rib I9 which extends longitudinally ofthe container body I0. "Provided centrally V'in the rib I9, and extending longitudinally thereof, isY an air passage 2D which communicates, at its rear en d, with the air passage I'I.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the air passage 2) opens, at its front end, into an air chamber 2I which is provided` in a boss 22 which may be formed as an integral enlargement of the coritainer body or storage receptacle I0. Formed in the'boss 22, on the inner surface thereof, is a substantially annular recess 23, and seated in this recess 23, and thus anchored to the boss 22, is the marginal or peripheral edge portion 24 of a substantially annular and flexible and elastic diaphragm or'ring 25 which is preferably made of a suitable quality of rubber, which is non-absorbent to water and other fluids 'and resistant tothe action of the creams, pastes and like materials which may be stored in the container body or storage receptacle I3'. `A selfsealing air passage or slit 28 is provided in the diaphragm 25, for reasons which will be referred to presently. A- l Ill of the new dispensing A dome-shaped bellows or air-pumping member 26 is formed integrally with the diaphragm 25 and provided in the dome-shaped bellows 2G is an air inlet opening 21.

In the manufacture of the new dispensing device which is illustrated in Figs. l to 4, inclusive, the generally tubular-shaped container body or storage receptacle I may be filled, in any suitable manner, with any material which it may be desired tostore and vend therein, as, for example, toothpaste, shaving cream, face cream, depilatory cream or paste, or other analogous vendible viscous materials, as stated above. The container body or storage receptacle ID may be filled by inserting the contents thereof into the body ID through the rear end thereof (righthand. end as seen in Fig. 2) whereupon the piston I3 may be inserted into the container body or storage receptacle I, through the open rear end thereof.4 The closure cap or member I6 may then be arranged in position of use and secured upon the container body I9, in any suitable manner as, for example, incase thecontainer body I0 and the closure member or cap I6 are made of plastic, resinous material, by applyinga little solvent, such as acetone, between the closure cap or member I6 and the container body i0 so as, in effect, to fuse the closure cap or member I6 onto the container body'l or, if desired, a suitable adhesive may be used for this purpose.

` `In the use of the new dispensing device which is illustrated in Figs. l to 4, inclusive, the vendible material, that'is'the paste, cream or the like may be extruded or dispensed from the container body or storage receptacle IIl by first removing the closure calpIZ and then, while holding the new'dispensingrdevice in and by the lingers of Ill) one hand, manipulating, that is, alternately compressing and expanding or releasing vthe domeshaped bellows or air-pumping member 26 by means of the thumb on the hand in which the container body or storage receptacle I0 is held. Duringthe air-pumping operation, that is, as and when the bellows 26 is being compressed or collapsed, the operators thumb is disposed over the top of the bellows 26 so as to close the air inlet 21 therein and as the bellows 26 is being releasedlthe pressure of the thumb is released so as to open theairinlet 2'I and allow air to enter into the bellows 26.

Accordingly, as the bellows 26 is thus alternately collapsed and-*expanded it forces air through' the narrow slit or valve opening 28 in the flexible diaphragm lor ring 25 into the air chamber 2|, thence into the air passages 20 and I'I, and thence into the interior of the container body I0 and into 'the well I3 of the piston I3, thereby forcingthe piston I3 in and axially along the container body or storage receptacle I0 so as to extrude or dispense a desired amount of paste, cream `or the-like from the container body or storage receptacle I0 through the dispensing outlet II.

l It will be noted that after each pumping operation, that is, after each operation of ycollapsing the bellows 26 and Aforcing air through the valve opening 28 in the diaphragm 25, the self-sealing valve 28 in the flexible and elastic diaphragm'25' closes so as to prevent the escape of air from the air chamber 2| and the air passages 20-I'I and so as to allow the pressure of the air in the system 2I'-20`I'i-I0-I`8 to accumulate or build up to effect and assure operation of the piston I3. 'I It will be noted, in this connection, that as air is thus forcedl-into the well I8- of the piston I3` the flexible side-wall and' the-trailingedge portion |52 of'the piston |z3l are expanded .radially outwardly against the :inner wall` of thel generally 'tubular'. container' body or storage `receptacle lill so as Atolefieet aftight seal between the piston' and the wall. of :the container bodylll) and thus `prevent the contents of the-fcontainenbodyl from n offvthe drawings is; in general, simil-ar oricomparable inconstr-uction and operationto theform of the invention-which-is shownin- Figs.1 toll,l in# clusiveg but differs l therefrom! in construction. inseveral respects, one ofewhichisth'efaetithai'firl-f` steadl off having thetneckor outerle'nd: portion of the container body or storagereceptaclel-lld formed integrally with! the 'container'- body or' storage receptacle (as in the formofA-the invention Y which isi-illustrated in. Figs.- l--to 4, inclusive) the' container body` or storage ref'zeptaclell.ictis'prol vice whichis illustrated Figs. 5 to 8; inclusive,

1 'to 4, inclusive.' and formed r integrally "withvthe diaphragmifiZafis a dome-'shaped` air-pumping member or bellows ZS'aLWhich is provided at the top and centrally thereof with an air inlet opening 21a which corresponds tothe air inlet'. opening 21fin the air-pumping member or bellows 21: whi'clr` is embodiedin theform ofthe invention shownin. Figs.1 to 4, inclusive. Y Y f "ci, 'if l V.The member zl9a22a3l 'may be secured-intainer body Illa in any suitable manner aston example, when-these-'parts `are made of plastic resinous material byfapplying'a suitable solventi .such as acetone, tothose: portions ofl the-bottom surface ofthe member lila 'and the vupper surface or wallfcf the containerbody rlvlla/ sofas, in eiect, to fuse or adhesively secure these parts together or, iffdesired, "'af suitable adhesive orfadhesives maybeemployed for. this purpose. A f "l The use and operationlof theimodiedlferm oii Y the invention which is illustrated in Figf to 8, inclusive, are substantially-the 'same-as herei-nbe-y fore described in referienceftothepreferredformi' c-f the new dispensin'gmdevicegwhich is shown iniA Figs. Il tod, inclusive, andhence need not be describedihere again; c

vided with a closure member or plug 29 which y is fitted into one endl of the generallytubula'rshaped container body. or storagereceptacleelra which may be securedlf'in position-therein? many suitable manner as, for example,lwhenthe parts are made of plastic, resinous-f-material, by coat-l ing-'the-peripheral edge portion of theclosure plug 29;andfthat portion-ot the inner surfa'celof the container body lila ,whichA itiengages vwhen in= position -ofuseiseellig.V 69, with` a suit/ablesol-A vent such, for-example; as acetone. However; a suitable 4adhesive-or4 adhesives` may alsov be-used for this-purpose, -ifdesiredVY f i As shown in Fig. 6, the closure member orlplug 2-9 has a substantially annularsshapediflange 30 which'abuts the front end-wallet the container bod-y lila, and`formed onfthef-closure memberA 2&1 isi an externally threaded. neck portion` 33,. which .provides atdispensing outlet, which may be'providedwith asuitable closure suchas the;

screwfthreadedclosure .cap 34;. y Themodication shown in Figs..5, 6, also; differsffrom .the form of theinventicn which isshownjn Figs, l'tojl, inclusivednithatinstead ohaving a boss,suc,h as I9, formed integrally w therewith, as doesk the form of the container shown inFigs. 1 i074, inclusive, the-Container. body4 Illcp4 has a separate member, [Se mounted on the topwalland on tlieoutensideV andlextevnding lengthwise thereof and thistmernber ISa is pro-7i vided with a groove (Eig. 8) which extends lengthwise thereof and is closed on its lower side by the upperwall oi-,Hthe container body Illu to provide, the air passage 20a.

As may be seen by reference Figffthe f It willv thus be'seenfromy the-foregoingdescription, consideredfin conjunctionlwith the accori panying drawings, that the liire'sent invention accompiishes its: intended-- objects, .includes thesshereinbei'oreset forth; andf other "objects o the invention, andl effects 'andi realizesa novel'f'dis-7 pensing- `device forl l dispensingA vendiblel viscous commodities such; forli example, Vas tootlfifpastes shaving creams, face creams, depilatoryf creams andthelilcezY I Y Inenfileer.` lila includes a substantially annular and' upwardly extending. front portion or boss 22a-32` which is provided, onits inneri ,surface, with'a chenel-shapedaiiu substantially annular groove 2da-,432 which receives the marginal' edge por-' tion "24a vofthe leiible'andelastic diaphragmaz- A' The exible, elastic diaphragmv 25a'is provided rio ally closed and yself-'sealing air valve fopen# which correspondstc thevalveopening 28 in;

lly'thereof'with afslit'28alwhich provides av tion, considerediniconjunction. with the .accom-- panyinglv. drawings; thatlthepresent'. vinvention provides Ya'. novel 1 dispensing 'device .for dispensing creams, pastesandthef like; 'and'V which vrmay be easilyl and readilyaheldl andi manipulated by. the userV thereof in'l and by only onehand, thus= leav`K .1. ingj thefuser-sother handfree to-operateupoir oi',vv t'oapply-the material dispensed from the con#I taine'r'fbody of the'new dispensing device,I as; for-v example, to ho-ldia" toothbrush for the-reception oftoothpaste "or to-'a'pply'the ereamldi'spensed from thedeviceto the-skin; `andifor other uses.

' While I-have illustrated4 and'd'escribedselectedv embodiments of''my invention; it is to be understood that tlflesef arejcapableof vvariation and? modification and-`1iiisrefcred not wish tete nrnited to, the precise details ser forni but desire tofav'ailmyself 'of "lsnchchanges andalterations' as fllwithin thepillviwzof thefollowingclaims.'ff-

VIlclaimz,l l' l, A Al". Adispensing `device`cornprising; in combina? tion,1a .generally t'ubular-sliapedcontainery body orjstorage receptacle adaptedjto contains` vendi# ble, paste', crea'miorlike viscous material andh'av^ ing a dispensing'outletthrough which said paste; creanifr like: material"maybe-.extruded Vand-'polis'-v pen's'ed, 'as desired, iaj piston. slidably `mounted-in" said container' body for extruding the contents outlet, said dispensing device comprising means. providing a passageway extending longitudinally ci said container'body and exterior-ly thereof.'rela'i tiveto `tl'1e' interior.(,\f saidzcontainer body andl forming an :air-conduotingipassage., for' v:,conduct-- inglaiipressure' lintoatl'ieiinterioLofJsaidcoi'itainen b'odyY and againstisaid'piston `so las vmove -said pis'- ton4 ini said-.container bodyA and; extrllde the; conf` the .for'rnr` of the inventidnxwhich is "shownin Figs.lv l

tents thereof through said dispensing outlet, as desired, and meanspositioned exteriorly ofthe periphery of the container and connected with the said air-conducting passage for forcing .air under pressure through said-air-conducting passage into the interior of said container body and against said piston comprising a manually operable air pumping device carriedk by said container body and constructed and arranged relative to said container body or storage receptacle sothat said dispensing device may be'held by the user thereof in, and so that said air-pumping device may be manipulated by, only one and the `same hand and in a direction substantially at right angles relative to the longitudinal axis of said generally tubular-shaped container body and relative to the direction of movement of said piston therein. y

2. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 in which said air-conducting passage comprises a portion extending longitudinally of said container body and a portion extending transversely of said container body and in communication with the interior of said container body ai; the rear thereof and rearwardly of said piston.

, 3. A dispensing device as dened in claim 1 in which said container body includes a generally. tubular-shaped side wall and a rear wall and in which said air-conducting passage includes a portion formed upon the side wall of said container body and extending longitudinally thereof and in which said air-conducting passage includes a portion formed upon the rear wall of said container body and communicating with the interior of said` container body at the rear thereof and rearwardly of said piston.

4. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 in which said piston comprises a piston including a main body portion somewhat smaller in diameter than the internal diameter of said container body and having a well formed therein at the rear side thereof and in which said piston includes a relatively thin flexible wall portion surrounding said Well adapted to ybe flexed radially `outwardly against and into frictional engagement with the wall of said container body by the pressure of air forced through said air-conducting passage and into said well by said air-pumping device.

5. A dispensing device as dened in claim 1 in which said piston comprises a piston including a main body portion somewhat smaller in diameter than the internal diameter of said container body and having a well formed therein at the rear side thereof and in which said piston includes a relawell, and in which the exiblev Wall portionof said piston is tapered radially outwardly from its axially inner or front end toward its axially outer or rear end and merges at its front end into the main body portion of said piston Where'it has substantially the same diameter as the main body portion of piston, and in which the flexible wall portion of said piston is adapted to be iiexed radially outwardly against and into frictional engagement with the wall of said container body by the pressure of air forced through said airconducting passage and into said well by said airpumping device.

6. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 in which said air-conducting passage includes, as a part thereof, an air chamber provided on the Wall of said container body adjacent the front of the latter and in communication `with said air-conducting passage, and in which a normally closed and self-closing air valve is arranged between said air chamber and said'air-conducting passage', and in which said air pumping device includes a manually operable air pumping member` carried by said container body and arranged out-` wardly of said e air chamber for forcing air through said normally closed air valve `and into said air-conducting passage. ,i

7. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 in which said air-conducting passage includes a portion having a flexible, elastic diaphragm extending thereacross and having a slit formed therein providing a manually closed and self-sealing air valve and in which said air pumping device includes a manually operable air pumping member carried by said container body for forcing .air`

under pressure through said normally closed and self-sealing' air valve and thence through said air-conducting passage into the interior of said container body and against said piston.

8. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 in which said air-conducting passage includes a portion having a flexible, elastic diaphragm extending thereacross and having a slit formed therein providing a normally vclosed and self-sealing air valve and in which said air pumping device includes a manually operable exible bellows carried by said container body for forcing air under pressure through said air valve and thence through said air-conducting passage into the interior of said container body and against said piston.

. 9. -A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 in which said air-conducting passage includes a por@ through said air-conducting passage into the in-` terior of said container body and against said piston.

10. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 in which said air-conducting passage includes an air chamber provided on the wall of said container body at the top and adjacent the front thereof and in which a-flexible, elastic diaphragm, carried by said container body, extends across said air chamber and has a relatively narrow slit formed therein providing a normally closed and self-sealing air valve, and in which said air pumping device includes a manually operable air pumping member carried by said container body for forcing air under pressure through said normally closed air valve and into` said air chamber an'd through air-conducting passage into the interior of said container body and against said piston.

l1, A dispensing device as dened in claim 1 in which said air-conducting passage includes a chamber provided on the wall of said container body at the top and adjacent theV front thereof and inwhich a flexible, elastic diaphragm, carried by' said container body, extends across said air K.charnlier and has a relatively narrow slit formed `'therein providing a normally closed and self-closing air valve, and in which said air pumping device includes a flexible and manually operable bellows carried by said container body for forcing air under pressure` through said normally closed air valve into said air chamber and air-conducting passage and thence into the interior of said container body and against said piston.

12. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 in which said air-conducting passage includes an air chamber provided on the Wall of said container body at the top and adjacent the front thereof and in which a flexible, elastic diaphragm, carried by said container body, extends across said air chamber and has a relatively narrow slit formed therein providing a normally closed and self-closing air valve, and in which saidair pumping device includes a substantially dome-shaped flexible bellows carried by said container body and having an air inlet opening therein for forcing aii` under pressure through said air valve into said air chamber and through said air-conducting passage into the interior of said container body and against said piston.

13. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 in which said air-conducting passage includes an air chamber provided on the wall of said container body at thetop and adjacent the front thereof and in which a flexible, elastic diaphragm, carried by said container body, extends across said chamber and has a relatively narrow slit formed therein providing a'normally closed and self-closing air valve, and in which said. air pumping device includes a substantially dome-shaped rubber bellows formed integrally with said diaphragm and having an` air inlet opening therein for forcing air under pressure through said air valve into said air chamber and through said air-conducting passage into the interior of said container body and against said piston.

14. A dispensing device as dened in claim 1 in which said air-conducting passage includes an air chamber provided on the wall of said container body at the top and adjacent the-front thereof and in which a flexible, elastic diaphragm, carried by said container body, extends across said air chamber and has a relatively narrow slit formed therein providing a normally closed and self-sealing air valve, and in which said air pumping device includes a manually operable air pumping member carried by said container body for forcing air under pressure through said normally closed air valve into said air chamber and into air-conducting passage, and in which said container body has a boss iormed on the wall thereof having a substantially channel-shaped groove formed therein and in which said flexible, elastic diaphragm includes a marginal or peripheral edge portion anchored in said groove.

15. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 in which said air-conducting passage includes an air chamber provided on the wall of said container body at the top and adjacent the front thereof and in which a flexible, elastic diaphragm, carried by said container body, extends across said air chamber and has a relativelyl narrow slit formed therein providing al normally closed and self-closing air Valve, and in which said air pumping device includes a manually operable air pumping member carried by said container body for forcing. air under pressure through said normally closed air valve into said air chamber and into said air-conducting passage, and in which said container has a member mounted on the tcp wall thereof having a substantially channel-shaped groove formed therein and in which said flexible diaphragm includes a marginal or peripheral edge portion anchored in said groove and in which said container body has a plug arranged therein at, and

' closing, the iront end thereof and in which said a substantially annular-shaped flange which" bears against the lfront end or edge of the wall of said container body.

ALFRED J. LAUTMANN. 

